Collapsible writing desk



Feb. 10, 1970 R, AGLMLAR 3,494,306

COLLAPSIBLE WRITING DESK Feb. 10, 1970 R. AGUILAR 3,494,306

COLLAPSIBLE WRITING DESK Filed April 29, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 1o, 1970 R, AGUILAR 3,494,306

COLLAPSIBLE WRITING DESK I Filed April 29, 1968 3 ShefeLS-Shee'tl 3 United States Patent O 3,494,306 COLLAPSIBLE WRITING DESK Ralph Aguilar, 825 Hernandez, Del Mar, Calif. 92014 Filed Apr. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 733,188

Int. Cl. A47f 5/10 U.S. Cl. 108-6 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible writing desk pivotably attached to a base having a plurality of incrementally adjustable fixed positions with relation thereto, said base being proportioned for utilization as a seat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to writing devices and more particularly to portable, compact, collapsible, and adjustable writing desks. The primary object of this invention being to provide a writing desk with a base, which when the desk is open ready for use, by simply sitting upon the base makes the desk stable and firm.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a portable, collapsible writing desk preferably made out of wood or plastic, and which may be inexpensive to manufacture and easy and safe to operate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a base in the portable desk upon lwhich a person may comfortably sit so las to make the desk stable and rm.

Another object of this invention is a portable writing desk of the class described which may be provided with a swiveling joint to allow turning the table to any position desirable.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a portable writing desk of the class described which may be provided with la desk lid and adjustable means to allow raising and lowering of the lid thus permitting the use of the table lby adults as well as by children.

A further object of this invention is to providera tiltable writing desk top and means for locking the desk top in any desirable position to facilitate writing upon it.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a miniature, portable writing desk and means to facilitate folding and collapsing the desk when not in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a swiveling joint to permit swiveling the writing desk upon its base board right or left to accommodate left or right handed persons.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction, and the combination and larrangement of parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in det-ail, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, where like character numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. l shows a side elevational view of the present invention in folded position.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the present invention in open position ready for use.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in partial crosssection.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 shows a modification lock.

FIG. 8 is la plan elevational view of the desk lid in the present invention showing a modified arrangement.

3,494,306 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 ICC FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of FIG. 8 in partial cross-section showing pertinent details.

FIG. 10 is a section taken on the line 10-10 oi FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a section taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there might be devised various modifications thereof, Without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the portable writing desk 10, made in accordance with the present invention, best seen from FIG. 1, comprises, in combination, the writing desk top or the lid 11, the Ibase board 22, the supporting desk frame 13, the desk support 14 and the centrally supporting member 15.

OPERATION It may be seen from FIG. 2 that the centrally supporting member 15 may be formed out of the upper section or end 16 yand the lower end 17. The upper end 16 may be segment-shaped in the form of a half circle, and may be provided -With a centrally located hinge hole 18 (having a hinge pin 19) and a group of diametrieally disposed locking holes 20, while the opposite lower section 17 (of the member 15) may be provided =with a centrally located hinge hole 21 having a hinge pin (dowel pin) 22. The desk supporting frame 13 may be formed out of a pair of side frames 13a and 13b, best seen in FIG. 6 and a circular base plate 13cc upon which the side frames 13a and 13b rest. The side frames 13a and 13b each have a hinge hole 13e and 13d, respectively, which are in alignment with the 'hinge hole 2-1 in the supporting member 15, the hinge pin 22 being passed through the holes 13C and 13d in the side frames 13a and 13b and the hinge hole 21 in the member 15, permitting the latter to be hingeably held thereon, and to be hinged freely when urged :by the operator. The base 13 may be provided with a limiting pin 23 (dowel pin), and a locking dowel pin 24, the latter being passed through the holes 24a and 24h in the flanges or frames 13a and 13b and through the locking hole 24C in the supporting member 25 to lock the latter in the position substantially as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Furthermore, a metallic segmented plate (brass) may be interposed between the side frame 13a (or 13b) and the lower end of the arm 15 to reduce friction.

The desk support 14 may be provided with a pair of side frames 14a and 14b (similar to the side frames 13a and 13b) having their respective hinge holes 14C and 14d to receive the hinge pin 19 (dowel pin) which may be seen passing through the hinge hole in the supporting member 15 (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, a locking pin 25 passing through the holes 25a -and 25b (in the side frames 14a and 14b) and through the locating holes 20 allows the adjustment of the tiltably mounted lid 11 upon the hinge pin 19 as desirable. A metallic segment-shaped plate 14e may be interposed between the side frame 14b (or 14a) yand the upper end 16 of the supporting member 15 to help reduce friction.

Referring more particularly to the desk top or lid 11, as best seen in FIG. 3, primarily it is comprised by the board 26, the bottom section 27, the pair of front and rear frames 28 and 29, respectively, and the side frames 30 and 31, Iall together forming the desk container or the desk compartment 29a. One end 26a of the lid 26, by means of the hinges 32 held upon the front frame 28, may be freely hinged to disclose the contents of the desk compartment 29a, while the opposite end thereof 26b may be provided with a metal catch plate 33 (having a locking le 33a) which when the lid 26 lays flat upon the desk ibstantially as shown in FIG. 4) catches in the spring erated bullet lock 34 (which is mounted upon the rear tme 29) to hold the lid 26 securely closed. By pushing on the bullet lock or catch 34 from the outside, the

:k may be released and the lid 26 may be lifted to permit sy `access to the writing instruments, pens, pencils and liting paper in the desk compartment 29a.

Upon the side frame 31 there may be provided an mgated pencil tray 37 with a rectangular shaped strip wood or plastic 36 (held upon the front fra-me 28 submtially as shown in FIG. 3) serving as a limiting stop r the desk lid 26, when the latter is fully open. The

ysk may be turned to the right or to the left to ac- 'mmodate the use of the desk by left handed or right inded persons. This action is accomplished by means of e swiveling joint 38 which is held in the base board L (at 39) and is attached at 40 to the circular base 13cc the desk supporting frame 13. FIG. 7 shows diagramatically a modification bullet lock 41 which may be used rr locking in position the swiveling desk top 11. The lock l primarily consists of the steel ball 42 which may be )used in the hole 43 and may be under the influence of e coil spring 44.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 8, which is a top evational view of the embodiment of the present inzntion, showing a modification thereof, and from FIG. which is a side elevational view of FIG. 8 in partial 'oss-section; it may be seen that the front frame 28 may e provided with a rectangular cut-out section 45 which lay be fitted with a pair of L-shaped slide bars 46 and 7, respectively, and a cross-bar 48 which may be secured iereto by means of the wood screws 49 and 50, subantially as shown in FIG. 10.

A slideably mounted tumble holder plate 53 may be iounted within the L-shaped slide bars 46 and 47 in such manner as to permit the plate 53 to be extended beyond 1e border of the front frame 28 (substantially as shown) 'hen it is desirable. Furthermore, it may be seen from `IG. 8 that the pair of hinges 32 may be mounted to the esk top 11 by means of the wood screws (or n'vets) 32b. i paper clip 51 (shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 8 and may be secured to the table or desk top 11 by means f the wood screws (or rivets) 52.

FIGS. 1 to 7, inclusive, show the supporting desk frame 3 supported upon the circular base 13cc by means of the wiveling joint 38 to allow the base 13cc to Ibe turned ight or left as desired. To improve the operation of the lase 13cc, a metallic circular plate 51 (also see FIG. 11) nay be interposed between the base plate 13cc and the ase board 12 to reduce friction, The plate 51 may be rovided with positioning holes 52, 53 and 54, respecively, While the base 130C may be tted with a bullet natch or latch 55 (which may be similar in its overall :onstruction to the latch shown in FIG. 7) to allow the )ositioning and the locking of the base 13cc in various lngular positions as desirable.

It will now be recognized from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, nclusive, that to operate the desk 10 from its collapsible orm (shown in FIG. 1) to its fully expanded form [shown in FIG. 2) one must place the desk 10 on the oor, kneel over its base 12 (to prevent the desk from noving) and by the use of both hands (pulling upon the esk top 11) the top 11 may be lifted as high as possible and as far as the swiveling supporting member may permit. Then the desk top 11 may be pushed away from the operator until the member 15 is locked in the position shown in FIG. 2. By means of the locking pin 24, the operator may lock the desk in its operating position and by means of the locking pin the desk top 11 may be tilted in any angle desired. By means of the swiveling pin 38, the desk 10 may be turned right or left to help accommodate either right-handed or left-handed persons. With the above described operations completed, the desk is now ready for use. To collapse the desk 10` to its orig- CTL inal folded position (as shown in FIG. 1) the above given instructions (for the erectionvof the desk) may be followed in reverse. The desk 10 may be used in any place desirable whether one sits upon a conventional chair or a sofa, or directly on the oor. To steady the desk (in its operative open position shown in FIG. 2) all that is necessary is to sit upon its base board 12 sideways or astride, in the manner one sits upon a saddle. The elongated slot S (which is cut in the margin 12a in the base board 12) provides a convenient handle, by which the collapsible desk 10 may `be readily carried, thus making the desk portable when it is fully collapsed.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings, will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed. Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice as long as no departure is made from the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A collapsible miniature desk comprising:

a desk top, a base board, a frame in said base board,

a supporting member in said frame and means for hinging said desk top to said frame in said base board;

said base board being extended to form a seat;

said hinge means comprising hinge holes in said frame and a hinge hole in said supporting member;

said holes in said frame being in alignment with said hole in said supporting member;

a pin upon which said desk top may be hinged and locking means to lock said desk top in its collapsible form;

a frame in said desk top;

said supporting member having a lower section and an upper section, said upper section having a hinge hole and means for hinging said frame to said supporting member, said holes being in alignment with the hinge hole in said supporting member;

a hinge pin being passed through said holes in said frame and in said member to hinge said desk top to said supporting member in an angle relative to the horizontal position of said base board;

the upper section of said supporting member being provided with a plurality of holes diametrically disposed about its hinge center; and

means for swiveling said desk top about said hinge center and means for locking said desk top in an angle relative to said base board, said means comprising a locking hole in said frame and a locking pin, said pin passing through the hole in said upper section in said supporting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 108-138 

